Health Matters

Latest Episodes:

Do I Have Allergies or a Cold? Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

This week on Health Matters, Courtney is joined by Dr. Aaron Pearlman, an otolaryngologist with NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. They discuss the most common questions about seasonal allergies, including what medications to consider and lifestyle tips to help ease symptoms. They also explore how to tell whether symptoms like a runny nose and watery eyes are due to allergies or a cold.

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Aaron N. Pearlman, MD is an associate clinical professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and a rhinologist with NewYork-Presbyterian. His clinical focus is on chronic inflammatory diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses, treating patients both medically and surgically. He is an advanced specialist in endoscopic sinus surgery and anterior skull base surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, a fellow of the American Rhinologic Society, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has served on various committees within the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the American Rhinologic Society. He is a leader in the field of rhinology and has presented his research at various meetings within the United States and abroad. Dr. Pearlman is the lead author and co-author of numerous peer-reviewed articles within the medical literature. He has also authored chapters in an array of medical textbooks and has been interviewed and quoted by the Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Self, amongst others.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

If you are looking for practical health tips and trustworthy information from world-class doctors and medical experts you will enjoy listening to Health Matters. Health Matters was created to share stories of science, care, and wellness that are happening every day at NewYork-Presbyterian, one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated academic healthcare systems. In keeping with NewYork-Presbyterian’s long legacy of medical breakthroughs and innovation, Health Matters features the latest news, insights, and health tips from our trusted experts; inspiring first-hand accounts from patients and caregivers; and updates on the latest research and innovations in patient care, all in collaboration with our renowned medical schools, Columbia and Weill Cornell Medicine. To learn more visit: https://healthmatters.nyp.org

What Your Smartwatch Tells You About Your Health Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

This week on Health Matters, Courtney Allison talks to Dr. Corey Bradley, a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, about smartwatches and heart health. Dr. Bradley breaks down the many metrics that smartwatches are capable of gathering and how to decode that health data. She also explains how concerned you need to be about irregular heart rate notifications, what your sleep score actually means and whether smartwatch readings are actually accurate.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

Surprising Facts About Organ Donation Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

For National Donate Life Month, Health Matters revisits the conversation between our host, Angelique Serrano, and NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia transplant hepatologist Dr. Alyson Fox. They talk about the differences between living donation and deceased donation, walk through the steps of preparation and recovery for organ donation and transplant, and the importance of this lifesaving gift.

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Alyson Fox, MD, is medical director of the adult transplant program at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia. Dr. Fox's clinical practice is focused on the management of patients with a variety of liver diseases including viral hepatitis, alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, inherited and autoimmune liver diseases and liver cancers. As a transplant hepatologist, she has advanced training in the management of the complications of end stage liver disease and caring for patients both pre- and post-liver transplantation. When she is not caring for patients, she is active as a course director and educator at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

How Does Alcohol Impact the Gut Microbiome? Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

This week on Health Matters, Courtney Allison is joined by Dr. Stephanie Rutledge, transplant hepatologist with NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine.

They dig into a fascinating connection between the health of the gut microbiome and the health of the liver, by exploring the impacts of drinking alcohol on both. Microbes in the gut are affected by what we eat and drink, and the consequences of drinking alcohol may be more serious than you expect. Dr. Rutledge describes how serious cases may even require a fecal transplant.

But there are simple steps you can take to improve the health of your gut microbiome. Dr. Rutledge describes how quickly a dysfunctional microbiome can recover once someone stops drinking, and offers health tips that can improve anyone’s liver health. Even just a month of better habits can have big results for the gut microbiome, the liver, and overall health.

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Dr. Stephanie Rutledge is a gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. She treats alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease with Weill Cornell Medicine’s Center for Alcohol and Liver Medicine (CALM). Dr. Rutledge received her MBBCh BAO from University College Dublin, completed residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and completed her Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology Fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

How My Dogs Taught Me to Be a Better Doctor Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

In this special episode of Health Matters, we celebrate Doctor’s Day. Dr. David Slotwiner, Chief of Cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, shares how his dogs Cosmo and Luna have taught him about perseverance and problem solving, making him a better leader and doctor.

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David Slotwiner, MD, is the Chief of Cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. Dr. Slotwiner is a board certified Cardiologist specializing in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology practicing at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital located in Flushing, NY. He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, completed his internship in Internal Medicine, residency in Cardiovascular Disease and fellowship in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Slotwiner is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology. He specializes in heart diseases such as congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart rhythm disorders, and heart failure.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

Should I Be Worried About Bird Flu? Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

This week on Health Matters, Courtney Allison is joined by infectious disease expert from NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, Dr. Marcus Pereira, to learn what we need to know about bird flu.

Dr. Pereira explains that while the cases of bird flu in humans have been mostly mild, there is still a risk that the virus could mutate and spread more easily from human-to-human. He talks about ways to protect ourselves from bird flu, and explains whether it’s safe to eat eggs, meat and other dairy products.

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Dr. Marcus Pereira is an Associate Professor of Medicine at CUMC and the Director of Clinical Services in the Division of Infectious Diseases. In addition, he is the Medical Director of the Transplant Infectious Diseases Program, where he oversees the development of infection prophylaxis and treatment protocols for immunocompromised patients. His areas of interest include the management of multi-drug resistant bacterial and fungal infections, as well as drug resistant CMV infections and more recently the impact of COVID-19 in transplant recipients. He has also collaborated in important multi-center studies as well as the 2025 International CMV Guidelines, sponsored by the Transplantation Society. Dr. Pereira is an active member in national societies such as the American Society of Transplantation and Infectious Disease Society of America, and is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Transplantation.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

Ask a Doctor: A Pediatrician Answers Kids’ Questions Mar 12, 2025

Show notes

This week on Health Matters, Courtney Allison heads to NewYork-Presbyterian's Teddy Bear Clinic, where she asks kids what they want to know about their health. Then she sits down with Dr. Robert Hagerty, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of New York, to get answers.

Dr. Hagerty helps explains the risks and benefits of screen time, why it’s important to get a lot of sleep when you’re a kid, and how vaccines can help our bodies fight infections. He also addresses parents’ health concerns for their children and explains why the standard schedule for vaccines is the gold standard for care.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

What is the Link Between Diet and Colon Cancer? Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

This week on Health Matters, Courtney Allison is joined by Dr. Alessandro Fichera, chief of colon and rectal surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. They discuss the recent rise of colorectal cancer in people under 50, and explore what might be one reason behind it—the eating habits of the typical Western diet.

Dr. Fichera offers health tips for lowering cancer risk. It turns out, there are simple steps we could all take to give our hard-working guts the support they need. From eating more natural fiber to staying hydrated, Dr. Fichera explains some surprising links between the choices we make about our lifestyle and the risk of colorectal cancer.

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Dr. Alessandro Fichera is Chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Alessandro Fichera received his medical degree from Catholic University of Rome, Italy in 1989. Since then, he has studied, practiced, and taught colorectal surgery across the United States: taking prestigious positions and leading departments of surgery in Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, and beyond. He serves on the ASCRS Executive Council and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation National Scientific Advisory Committee.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

How to Foster Healthy Eating Habits and Understand Eating Disorders Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

In recognition of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, we’re revisiting an important episode focused on disordered eating. Angelique Serrano speaks with Dr. Evelyn Attia, Director of the Center for Eating Disorders at NewYork-Presbyterian. They discuss the differences between healthy and unhealthy eating, how to recognize the signs of eating disorders, and what treatment options are available today. Dr. Attia offers guidelines for people of all ages who want to have a healthy relationship with food.

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Dr. Evelyn Attia is Director of the Center for Eating Disorders at New York-Presbyterian, an integrated clinical research program at both Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Medical Centers. Dr. Attia is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. Formerly the director of the inpatient eating disorders program at The New York State Psychiatric Institute, Dr. Attia has more recently focused on research involving the psychobiology and treatment of anorexia nervosa. Since 1999, she has received uninterrupted funding for her research from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Dr. Attia is a member of the eating disorders work-group for DSM-5. She is also a member of The Eating Disorders Research Society and has been elected Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders. (source)

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

Does Family History or Lifestyle Determine Heart Health? Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

This week on Health Matters, as we continue to observe Heart Month, we will explore the role that genetics play in heart health.

Understanding your family history of cardiovascular health is essential. In fact, about 30% of heart disease can be linked to family history. We speak with Dr. Jessica Hennessy, a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist and cardiogenetics expert at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia to help break down which heart conditions and risk factors may be inherited. She provides valuable insight on effectively managing heart health, including the importance of lifestyle modifications in preventing heart disease, including for individuals with a genetic predisposition. She also explains who should get genetic testing and what that process looks like.

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Dr. Jessica Hennessey specializes in Cardiac Electrophysiology, with a special focus on Sports & Exercise Cardiology. She practices primarily in New York, NY, and is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Hennessey graduated from Duke University School of Medicine in 2014, and completed her training at Massachusetts General Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiac Electrophysiology.

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Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.

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